Rail-joint.



, PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905. A. L. HODGES,

RAIL JOINT. APPLIU LTION PILED NOV, 16,1904.

v No. 781,519.

UNIT D STATES Patented anuary 3 1, 1905.

PATE T. OF ICE. i

RAIL-rJOlNT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,519, dated January 31, 1905. I Application filed November 16, 1904. $eria1N0. 233,016.

To all whom, it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ALBERT LEMUEI; HODGES,

a citizen of the United States, residing at N ew market, in the county of Jelferson and. State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to rail-joints, and has for its object to provide simple and efficient means for joining the abutting ends of railway-rails without the useof fish-plates or bolts. J

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the joint. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two rail-sections before they are united. v

Referring specifically to the drawings, the two rail-sections are indicated at 5 and 6, respectively. The head and avportion of the web of the rail 5 are cut away at one end, asat 7, and the "remaining portion 8 of the web is formed with a mortise 9, which extends down:

. wardly to the base of the rail, but not through tise 1 1 is also made to receive the tongue 12,

and a tenon 16 extends from the-rail-6 into the mortise 11-. The tongue 12and tenon 16 fit loosely in the respective mortises to permit expansion and contraction of the rails. The end of the rail 6 next to the abutting rail 5 has a tenon 17 which fits in the mortise 9.; The webs of. both rails near their abutting ends are reinforced or thickened, as at 1 8. This enables the mortise 9 to be made without weakening the rail and forms a shoulder 19 on the rail 6, which fits on the top of the part 8, and also a shoulder 20, which abuts against: the front end of said part. 8 when the rails are united. Directly under the joint the rails rest .on a-chair 21, which is spiked to the tie'22 and has at its outer ends flanges 23, extending over the base-flanges of the rails.

Rail-sections united as herein described will be effectively held against endwise and side-- wise separation.

required, and the track can be rapidly laid. The abutting parts of the rail-sections are all No fish-plates or bolts are perpendicular, so that there is no wedging ac- "tion to bind the parts and prevent expansion and contraction. This also permits the joint to be easily broken when desired by simply fitting the mortise, the bottom of said rail be 7 ing cut away to receive the forwardly-extending base portion ofthe other rail.

, 2. A rail-joint comprising abutting rails,

having reinforced webs at their ends, the head and a portion of the web of .one of the rails being removed and theremaining portion of its web being formed with a mortise, and the base extending forwardlyfbeyond said 'web and having a mortise; and tenons on the other rail fitting in the mortises, the bottom ofsaid rail being cut away to receive the forwardlyextending base portion of the other rail.

3. A rail-joint comprising abutting rails having reinforced webs at their ends, the head and a portion 'of the web of one of tlie'rails being removed and the remaining portion of its web being formed with a mortise, and the baseextending forwardly beyond said web and having a flaring tongue at its outer end; to this specification in the presence of two suband a tenon on the other rail fitting the morscribing Witnesses.

tise, the bottom of said rail being cut away n n i to receive the forwardly-extending base por- ALBLRL LIUMUILL '5 tion of the other rail and having a mortise to \Vitnesses:

receive the tongue thereon. LUM HODGES,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name 1 \V. J VVoo'r EN. 

